The present invention relates generally to dentifrice dispensers, and particularly to dispensers for therapeutic dentifrices or oral compositions used to treat periodontal diseases.
Periodontal diseases are diseases which affect the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth, i.e., the gums and adjacent bones. Periodontal diseases come in various classifications from gingival inflamation to sulcus bleeding, pocket formation and bone loss. These periodontal diseases are believed to be caused by bacteria which accumulate and proliferate on and around the teeth. While most oral hygiene measures, such as toothbrushing, are directed at cleaning the teeth, apparent cleanliness does not always ensure adequate control of bacterial growth.
While surgery has been widely used to treat severe periodontal infections, a conservative non-surgical alternative for treating periodontal infections has been gaining increasing recognition in recent years. These alternatives are discussed in an article entitled "A Periodontist's View On Surgical And Non-Surgical Therapy" by Paul M. Cummings, Jr., which was published in the Annotations from The International Dental Health Foundation, June 1982, Volume 2, No. 2. The non-surgical or antibacterial treatment for controlling periodontal infections is set forth in detail in an article entitled "Measures To Aid In The Prevention And Control Of Dental Carries And Periodontal Diseases" by Paul H. Keyes, which was published in the Annotations from the International Dental Health Foundation, Jan. 1982, Volume 1, Number.
An important part of this non-surgical treatment involves the brushing of teeth in the following manner. First, the toothbrush is dipped into a solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide (about one cap full) and table salt (about 0.25 teaspoon full). Water may also be added to the solution in an amount equal to the amount of hydrogen peroxide. Then, the moistened bristles are dipped into baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), such that some of the baking soda will adhere to the bristles of the toothbrush. This mixture is then smeared along the gingival margins, and subsequently the teeth are gently and carefully brushed with the toothbrush.
The above-identified non-surgical procedure is intended to be performed by the patient at home twice daily until the infection is cured. Then, a maintenance phase begins in which the procedure is performed once a day to keep bacteria under control. It should be noted that while hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and salt are all bactericidal adjuvants, the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide is particularly effective in attacking the type of bacteria which causes periodontal lesions. Additionally, the baking soda and the salt also operate to draw fluid out of the cells of the tissues which are infected.
It should be appreciated from the above that the toothbrushing part of the non-surgical therapy is not only time consuming, but also requires that separate supplies of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and salt must be maintained. Additionally, a dish and a spoon or the like must be available in order to mix these adjuvants together. Furthermore, the patient must endure the unpalatable taste of this mixture once or twice a day. The patient must also take care to ensure that the cap to the hydrogen peroxide bottle is securely tightened after each use, because the oxygen in the hydrogen peroxide will gradually disassociate and reduce the effectiveness of the hydrogen peroxide in combating bacteria.
A principal objective of the present invention is to simplify and reduce the amount of time involved in an antibacterial therapy for treating periodontal diseases.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a dentifrice or oral composition which includes a combination of adjuvants for treating periodontal diseases.
It is a more specific objective of the present invention to provide a therapeutic dentifrice or oral composition which includes a predetermined mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and salt.
It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide a dispenser containing a predetermined dentrifice or oral composition.
It is a more specific objective of the present invention to provide a dispenser containing a therapeutic dentrifice or oral composition which includes a predetermined mixture of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and salt.
It is yet another objective of the preset invention to provide a dispenser containing a therapeutic dentifrice or oral composition will encourage patients to use an antibacterial therapy for treating periodontal diseases.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a dentifrice dispenser which is tamper resistant.
To achieve the foregoing objectives, the present invention provides a dentifrice dispenser, which generally comprises a pressurizable container, a predetermined dentifrice composition disposed in the container, a valve controlling the discharge of the dentifrice from the container, and a propellant disposed in the container for causing the discharge of the dentifrice from the container upon actuation of the valve. The dentifrice is preferably a therapeutic toothpaste which includes a predetermined composition of hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and salt. A removable nozzle for directing the discharge of the therapeutic toothpaste from the container is also provided.